John Arrowsmith was raised by a biker gang and that’s the only life he has ever known, but now he finds himself with the undeniable urge to get on Harley, his bike and head for places unknown.  After all, John doesn’t really know where he should be, but he can sure feel the anxiety of knowing that he isn’t where he needs to be.  So with this feeling riding him, he gets on his bike and heads out, only to end up in an accident that plunges John Arrowsmith into a world that is as far from what he knows, that for a time, John believes himself to be crazy.

However, as time passes John, in his typical equanimity, accepts that he will have to make his way in a strange land where he will have to make his way and build a life, as he can’t seem to figure out how he got there or how to get back to his old life.  So in his determination to get to know this world John ends up working at the local tavern as the entertainment, which is well enough for a while. But as John starts getting the itch to explore, a the mysterious and strange residents of “The Cabin” wander into town and request his help.  But Arrowsmith’s help lands him spending the winter surrounded by the other seven of The Cabin’s strange and bizarre residents – which to Arrowsmith seems to be a distinct brand of punishment.  However, as time passes John learns not only to like, but respect and understand all the other residents of The Cabin, while also experiencing strange and disorienting feelings of familiarity with the area and the collection of misfits that live there.

Will John ever figure out why he was thrown into this strange land?

When I started reading A Strange Place in Time: The Recalling of John Arrowsmith I was a little intimidated by the whole biker aspect, as it’s not really a topic that usually draws my attention, but I have to say that I was completely fascinated by this book and it’s cast of characters from start to finish.  John is a strange man, not only because he is very large, but also due to his even temper and ability to mold himself as the situation requires.  However, when he lands in a strange world, John’s true mettle is revealed and he proves himself to be an admirable man, full of unexpected depths, knowledge and insight.  The entire fantasy angle of the story certainly caught me by surprise and kept me glued to my seat and desperately wanting more once the last page was turned.  Alyx Shaw did a masterful job of building a world that is not only intriguing in and of itself, but that also has a significant amount of lore to go along with it, making this perplexing world John falls into tangibly real and uniquely compelling.  At times the book has a slow pace to accommodate the rich detail and full development of all the characters and the world which they inhabit that might discourage readers used to short works with a quick resolution; however, A Strange Place in Time: The Recalling of John Arrowsmith is worth taking the time to read as Ms. Shaw does an amazing job drawing the reader in and making John’s experiences so vivid that you will forget that you are reading a book and not living someone else’s life.  Pick up A Strange Place in Time: The Recalling of John Arrowsmith the next time you have a good break which you’d like to spend inhabiting a new and strange world surrounded by characters that you would like to be real!  I can’t wait for the next installment in this series, so I most definitely Joyfully Recommend A Strange Place in Time: The Recalling of John Arrowsmith to all lovers of m/m romance and especially to readers that enjoy complex and compelling fantasy tales!